Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EDT
Venue: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
TV/Streaming: ESPN+, Mammoth+, Utah16, SportsNet Pittsburgh (SN-PIT), TVA Sports (Canada)
This is the second meeting of the 2026-27 season. Utah won the first matchup 5-4 at home on October 19.
Injury Reports
Utah Mammoth:
John Marino (D, upper body) – Out, week-to-week (expected return around Nov. 1)
Michael Carcone (LW, upper body) – IR, expected return around Nov. 1
Maveric Lamoureux (D, shoulder) – IR (surgery; out 4-6 months, expected return ~February 2027)
Pittsburgh Penguins:
Bryan Rust (RW, lower body) – IR, expected return around early December
Samuel Girard (D, undisclosed) – IR
Trevor van Riemsdyk (D, lower body) – IR
Ryan Graves (D, knee/lower body) – IR
Justin Brazeau (RW, lower body) – IR (recently activated for AHL conditioning)
Ben Kindel (C, undisclosed/medical) – IR but returned to practice
Evgeni Malkin (C, illness) – Day-to-day
Egor Chinakhov (RW, lower body) – Day-to-day
Elmer Söderblom (LW, upper body) – Day-to-day/IR
Pittsburgh is dealing with significant depth issues on defense and wing; Malkin’s availability is a key swing factor.
Current Rosters / Key Players
Mammoth key contributors:
Clayton Keller (RW/C, ~4G-11A-15P), Mikhail Sergachev (D, ~3G-12A-15P), Nick Schmaltz (C, ~7G-7A-14P), Logan Cooley (C, ~4G-8A-12P), Dylan Guenther (RW, ~5G-5A-10P). Supporting cast includes Lawson Crouse, Vincent Trocheck, Barrett Hayton, Nate Schmidt, MacKenzie Weegar.
Goaltending: Karel Vejmelka (projected starter, stronger workload and ~.877 SV%) preferred over Sebastian Cossa.
Penguins key contributors:
Sidney Crosby (C), Evgeni Malkin (if available), Erik Karlsson (D, leading points with strong assist totals), Nick Robertson (LW, team-leading goals), Rickard Rakell, Tommy Novak, Kris Letang. Depth options include Ville Koivunen, Connor Dewar, and others filling in amid injuries.
Goaltending: Arturs Silovs (stronger early numbers, ~.890 SV% range) likely preferred over Sergei Murashov.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups
Clayton Keller / Nick Schmaltz / Logan Cooley vs. Penguins top defensive pairings (Karlsson-Letang and supporting D): Utah’s skilled forwards will test Pittsburgh’s thinned blue line. Keller’s playmaking and Schmaltz’s finishing (especially on the power play) are central.
Sidney Crosby / Evgeni Malkin (if healthy) vs. Utah defense (Sergachev-Weegar): Crosby remains the engine; Malkin’s return would boost secondary scoring against Utah’s mobile but injury-depleted defense.
Erik Karlsson vs. Utah’s transition game: Karlsson’s offense from the back end is Pittsburgh’s biggest equalizer.
Special teams contrast: Utah boasts one of the league’s best power plays (~34-35%); Pittsburgh has a stronger penalty kill (~84%). Faceoff and neutral-zone battles involving Trocheck/Crosby will matter.
Goaltending: Vejmelka’s volume vs. Silovs’ efficiency.
Recent Team Forms
Mammoth: 6-4-0 in their last 10. Strong offensive output (around 3.6 GF/GP, top-10 range) and elite power play, but a weaker penalty kill and occasional defensive lapses. They are 4-3-0 on the road. Recent results include a 5-4 win over Tampa Bay, a loss at Seattle, the earlier win over Pittsburgh, and a 3-1 home loss to Minnesota.
Penguins: 3-6-1 in their last 10 but improved at home (4-1-0). Even goal differential overall. They rebounded with a shutout of Florida and an OT win over Nashville after a rough stretch that included the loss in Utah. Injuries have forced lineup shuffling.
Series History
Limited history as the Utah franchise (formerly Arizona Coyotes relocated/rebranded elements). Utah leads the early series 3-2 overall in recent meetings. Utah won the most recent game 5-4 on Oct. 19, 2026. Other results include Pittsburgh wins in March 2026 (4-3) and January 2025 (3-2 OT), plus Utah blowout wins. No playoff history. High-scoring recent games have been common.
Betting Trends
Utah’s strong PP and scoring rate push totals higher; Pittsburgh’s home form and PK provide counterbalance. Public money has leaned toward the Mammoth. Recent H2H games have mostly gone over.
Game Odds
Utah Mammoth – 127
Pittsburgh Penguins 6.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Wednesday, October 28, 2026
